kimchi fried rice

11.11.2013

I realized this weekend that it’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted anything savory. Which is funny, because I consider myself a pretty novice baker — I guess we just rotate much more frequently between tried and true meals, whereas Bowl #2 never has any input on sweets, so I just try any new thing I feel like. Anyway, I thought I’d change it up by posting about one of our very most favorite “tried and true”s — kimchi fried rice.

Around here, kimchi fried rice is our “happy food” — it’s our TGIF meal, our pig-out-in-sweatpants food, our reunion food when one of us has just come back from a trip, our celebration food when after we finish something school- or work-related (like passing the bar!) I usually make a gigantic wok-ful that just sits on the stove for the rest of the night, where we continually refill our bowls until it’s all gone. It never really lasts longer than that evening. Bowl #2’s face always lights up when I say I’m going to make it, and before I can finish the sentence he’s out to the supermarket to pick up Diet Coke. (Addictive sugary-but-not-sugary-but-probably-toxic cola is a must for this meal, by the way.)

Man, and if there was ever a weekend for comfort food, this weekend would have been it — it was the first weekend since I started work that I didn’t have time to bake or cook anything new for the blog, and on top of that, the heat in our apartment building broke, so I was novice-lawyering in a puffy down jacket and two pairs of fuzzy socks. (Very professional.) Even though I didn’t really have the time, I still broke out the oven just because it was so cold, and made these incredible cheddar bay biscuits by Brown Eyed Baker (highly recommend, though they are quite rich. I was planning to make these gorgeous muffins, too, before I got a big pile of work on Friday evening!) A bowl of this spicy fried rice, with creamy soft egg yolk and maybe some cheese mixed in, would have been sublime.

I do also have to preface this with a warning — this does have Spam. And although I love Spam (no surprises here), I begrudgingly acknowledge that it is skeevy to most of the world. (Very begrudgingly, by the way — it took me a long time to come around to The Pioneer Woman just because of this offhand remark!) Anyway, if you are one of those people who has a problem with eating mystery foods (aka normal people) you can replace it with some chopped ham, bacon, or pancetta. Allison over at Spontaneous Tomato has a version with shrimp that looks delicious, as well. Also, I do prefer to use Spam Lite over original — not that it’s better for you, but I like the lighter taste and consistency.

One last note — this is best for old kimchi, when the flavor is extra pungent and will really shine. Save your fresh kimchi for eating on its own as a side (or snack, or whenever). This is a great way to use up sour and fermented kimchi at the bottom of the jar.

Kimchi Fried Rice
serves 3-4, or 2 people over the course of one gluttonous evening.

1. Heat one tablespoon of oil over high heat. Scramble eggs, then set aside. I like to season it with salt and pepper at this point.
2. Heat a bit more oil, then panfry diced Spam until lightly browned. Add diced onions and garlic and continue to sauté until onions begin to soften (they don’t have to be fully cooked and translucent). Add kimchi and continue to panfry on high heat until kimchi liquid begins to evaporate and kimchi grows crispy.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add rice and break it up until fully mixed. (This will take some arm work.)
4. Add sesame oil, gochugaru, and any additional salt and pepper, to your preference.
5. Finally, fry an egg sunny-side up to serve on top, and garnish with shredded nori. The rice tastes amazingly creamy with the soft egg yolk mixed in. You can also sprinkle some mozzarella on top or melt a slice of American into it — whatever you feel like!

Also, before I forget! I recently made a Facebook page for this blog! I feel like it kind of exists in a vacuum right now, so if you feel like heading on over there and liking it, that would be wonderful. 🙂 Finally, a quick thanks to Nibbles by Jenny and Bon Aperture for so kindly nominating me for Liebster Awards! I was so flattered and it truly made my day. Thanks so much. 🙂

I’m convinced this is wonderful. Although I have never bought Spam I have tried it, and perhaps this recipe will have me putting a can in my shopping cart! In your opinion, how do I know I am buying good kimchi? What do you look for? Our food coop does offer several choices and we do have a large Asian market too.

YAY!! That’s what I like to hear! 🙂 Honestly, I think the people who can’t stand Spam are totally justified (who knows what’s in it) but I just grew up with it and love it, especially when crispy and panfried. I do recommend buying Spam Lite, though — I think it tastes even better than the original and it’s a tad better for you (you know….comparatively).

Good kimchi is hard. I plan to post a recipe to make your own in a few weeks (though by Korean homemade standards I’m sure mine is nothing special either!) I would recommend going for kimchi made in-house if you can find it, rather than the national brands — your Asian market may have homemade kimchi. I’ve never found great kimchi in the Northeast, but the best has been the ones made by the shop owners or by people they know personally, rather than the bulk wholesale ones. Ooooh, I also left out that the best time to use kimchi for fried rice is when the kimchi has been fermented for awhile! Eat it as a side when fresh, and use it up in soup, fried rice, and Korean fritters when sour and fermented 🙂

Thank you so much for your insight. Great knowledge. I have had wonderful homemade kimchi years ago. I had dear friends from Korea and, imagine this, they lived in an apartment building and would bury their kimchi (in jars) out back in the yard for, I don’t know how long! It was quite remarkable. We were invited over several times for dinner and it was always an adventure. Ok..last story…While eating Korean BBQ at their apartment one afternoon they explained to me (in broken English) how they did not have a container large enough to marinade the beef, so they used the bathtub! 🙂

Kimchi hasn’t exactly caught on over here, as yet. I’ve never had the stuff. As for Spam, I don’t buy processed meats if possible. Haha! What about the large pack of bacon bought just today. Okay, I’m guilty! I do buy bacon – occasionally. Spam I would eat but wouldn’t buy. Partly as it’s ridiculously expensive here. Besides, I’d rather spend the money on cheese 🙂

Hahaha you’re too funny!! Hey, we should all be entitled to indulge in some nitrites/nitrates every once in awhile… 😉 But gosh, if Spam were super pricy here I would be hesitant to buy it too. It’s got enough stacked against it as it is, but at least it’s usually cheap! I’d take cheese over expensive pink mystery meat, too! Thanks for your comment, Johnny 🙂

I’m afraid I just might be in love with you. Kimchi rice, drippy egg and SPAM? (Side note, how does one capitalize for emphasis when the word is already all uppercase? Please read: I wanted to extra-capitalize SPAM.) I feel very warmly about this recipe, if you couldn’t tell. And thanks so much for getting on the Facebook bandwagon so I could find your darling blog! xo – em

Hahaha I LOVE it. Spam should always be extra-capitalized in my opinion. So glad you’re a fan too :):) Thank YOU for your wonderful comment and for your blog! So glad I went on Facebook too so that I could find it. I’m excited to keep following you!

Jayson, what a wonderful thing to say! It’s amazing to hear that you can relate to what I write — it lets me know I’m doing something right. Super happy to read your kind words and to know you’re following my blog! I hope you’ll stick around!

These are gorgeous photos, Cynthia! I adore eggs and could eat them every day if I could, so that perfectly fried egg perched on top of your rice is calling my name. Fried rice is my idea of comfort food too. I could easily eat a giant wok-ful of it. I’m not a huge spam fan but my husband LOOOOOOVES it. I’d never knock the stuff even though it’s totally creepy! Doesn’t work suck, always getting in the way of things we’d rather be doing like baking and cooking? I’m sure you’re handling it like a rock star!

Um, right?! Not that I’m responding to this at work or anything… Clearly not doing anything like a rock star at the moment. Ha. But I appreciate the thought! 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment!! (Baha and I totally agree Spam is creepy. I just eat and don’t think about it.)

Oooh I love those lazy sweatpants nights at home where you just laze around and stuff your face. *guilty* This sounds sooooo good. I’ve been wanting to try making my own kimchi but I’m scared of poisoning myself with the fermentation process and I don’t really know where to buy kimchi! SAD. Teach me your ways? Do you buy it or make it? Also! I totally grew up eating spam sushi so no judgement from me!! (even though I’m now vegetarian.) Seriously, sometimes nothing hit the spot more than some salty-delicious fried spam.

I LOVE YOUR NEW LOOK! This layout is so, so gorgeous! Did you do it yourself?

Girl, finding good kimchi is so hard! Even in New York, where there’s a good-sized Korean population, we haven’t been able to find good quality kimchi in Manhattan or Brooklyn (I’ve heard that the Korean food is much better in Queens… but it’s so far!) Your best bet is to go to Asian markets and ask if they have any housemade kimchi. Both in the South and here, the best kimchi we’ve been able to find has been made by store owners. But you can make it yourself too! The kimchi above is actually my first batch of homemade kimchi, and it’s not that hard! (And so rewarding!) I think I’m going to post a recipe on it in a couple weeks. I found that mine did go bad more quickly than kimchi should, (and yes, I was DEFINITELY scared of poisoning myself too haha) but I think I handled it a bit too much the first time around because I wasn’t sure about the process or how much to salt it. The flavor while it was good was great, so I am 100% sure you can do it, Momofuku queen.

Thank you SO much for your sweet words!! I’m not sure if I can say I really did it myself, since it’s the Omega framework with the fonts changed and a header I made, and that’s it — but I’m so flattered you like it!!! :):) You’re too sweet!

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